Higher edu minister nominee outlines her priorities

KABUL (Pajhwok): The higher education minister-designate on Sunday pledged to improve the university curriculum, fight against graft and introduce accountability if she was given a vote of confidence.

Addressing lawmakers, Khatira Afghan said it was the government’s duty to provide quality education for youth. “Afghan students have capabilities and we need to provide them with a level playing field.”

While seeking a trust vote from the lower house, she promised to address the challenges being faced by students such hostel shortages and seats in state-run universities.

She pledged to establish coordination between Afghan and international universities to let Afghans benefit from foreign expertise, improve Islamic studies and create new departments and electronic libraries.

“I will create a research institute to offer students cutting-edge research facilities and bring our curriculum on a par with global universities. Amid emerging demand, we will try to empower youth with technical and vocational skills,” she added.

Afghan said her short and medium-term plans would be building hostels and research centres in several universities. She would also create another department in the ministry for overseeing academic activities of private universities.

She is a daughter of Abdul Hamid Khan and was born in 1977 in Kandahar province. She has a bachelor degree from the American University of Afghanistan and a master’s in management and governance from the US.